Canon M100 vs Sony A6000

Introduction

Mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras have risen in popularity in the last few years, and it is pretty interesting to see how far they have come. High-end mirrorless cameras have performed equally and sometimes better than their DSLR counterparts. In the entry-level market, things have not been competitive, as entry-level DSLR models still dominating the market, with their image quality, performance, and tremendous value for the price. However, there are some interesting choices from two top-brands, from Canon and Sony for the entry-level mirrorless interchangeable lens camera market.

Both of these brands have built quite a name for themselves over the years with their excellent cameras, especially in the DSLR market. However, since the advancements in technology in the last few years, manufacturers have had to adapt, and nobody has done it better than Sony. Canon has also started to get things right in the mirrorless department but is it enough. As I said earlier, today we’re going to take a look at one model from each company, the Canon M100, and the Sony A6000.

The Canon M100 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera that was released in October 2017. It is one of Canon’s first efforts at making an affordable and entry-level mirrorless camera, and while it has succeeded at making it cheap the device compromises in a lot of aspects. But then again its price makes it extremely attractive and the image quality is trademark Canon, so it has a lot to offer.

On the other side, we have the Sony A6000, another mirrorless interchangeable lens camera that was released in April 2014, making it more than 3 years older than the Canon model. This is also an entry-level camera but has very high-end specs and performances. It is a little more expensive than the Canon M100 but delivers plenty of desirable qualities, and it is a little more enthusiast-focused camera, rather than for absolute beginners.

Both of them are mirrorless cameras in the $500 price range, so this will be an interesting comparison.

Since we introduced both of our cameras for today, let’s take a closer look at them and see which one comes out on top.

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Head To Head Comparison

Canon M100

Canon has made some pretty good efforts in the last few years to offer cameras for different people and masses. While their efforts in the mirrorless camera department have not been lacking, they haven’t been pretty much on par with Sony, but then again no other brand has been close to Sony in that aspect. Canon has manufactured the EOS M100 as a pretty versatile and easy to use camera dedicated to beginners and smartphone photographers.

The Canon M100 is the easiest way to ease into the camera world for an absolute beginner as it will teach you the skill on how to be a better photographer and will deliver great image quality in every shot. Its autofocus is pretty fast and responsive, despite not being the most advanced in the market, has Full HD video, small body and a good range of lenses thanks to Canon’s EOS M mount and if it is compatible with other Canon lenses with an adapter.

On the first glance without a lens, the Canon M100 looks like a pretty standard point-and-shoot camera, measuring just about 4.3×2.6×1.4-inches in total and it weighs just 9.4-ounces. It is one of the most compact cameras in the market, and it is pocketable, it has a pretty nice design, with its all-black body, but you can also order the white version if you prefer it that way. In terms of handling, it is not the most ergonomic camera in the market, as it has no handgrip, and for that purpose, it just utilizes a textured thumb grip, overall everything is pretty good.

In terms of controls, this device has a pretty simple layout, making it perfect for the beginner photographer, however, this means that you will outgrow it pretty fast. It is equipped with a 3-inch Tiltable touchscreen LCD which delivers great control such as touch focus and touch shutter features, on top of the controls and settings. It is worth mentioning that the screen is pretty sharp and colorful so the previews will be pretty good, but on the downside of the compactness you get no viewfinder, and you will have to get used to the live view display.

The Canon M100 is equipped with a contrast-detect autofocus sensor comprised of 49 autofocus points that are pretty fast and accurate. It has phase-detect pixels that deliver a nice performance and thanks to its plenty modes you can get awesome focusing performance. However, the system started to suffer in low light conditions, but at this price point, these things are expected.

This camera is equipped with a 24.2MP Dual CMOS AF sensor which is one of the best from Canon’s lineup, and it provides excellent images throughout. It utilizes a Canon’s Digic 7 image processor and the photographs, comes out as pretty much exemplary, with great color, tone, exposure and nice performance in the entirety of the ISO range that spans from 100 to 25,600. It is also worth mentioning that it eliminated the noise pretty well in high ISO levels and it was certainly pleasing.

In continuous shooting mode, it delivered 6.1 frames per second which were pretty surprising for a camera of this size, and it delivered pleasing image quality. It has a battery life of about 300 shots at maximum, which is a little lacking, but as I told you earlier this camera has done some compromises.

Canon M100 Sample Images:

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Sony A6000

I have mentioned time and time again that Sony has been dominating the mirrorless camera market, with its excellent premium cameras, but their entry-level devices have not lacked behind. It is worth stating that their entry-level mirrorless cameras have always delivered an immense value for their price and have been an excellent choice for both beginners and aged veterans who want to give the mirrorless world a try, especially the A6000.

The Sony A6000 is one of my favorite cameras because it is so versatile and will prove that it is a valuable tool. It especially makes for a great beginner camera, since it has simple controls, but its layout and customization doesn’t leave enthusiasts aside. It offers great image quality, tiny and compact body, viewfinder, WiFi and NFC, capable autofocus system, quickness, and many more.

This camera left me in awe, thanks to its excellent design that resembles the premium Sony A7. It was pretty compact measurements and size, as it is just 4.8×2.9×1.9-inches in total and weighs just 12-ounces, while it is a little larger and a little heavier than the Canon M100, it can not be considered a large camera. On top of that the build quality hasn’t been sacrificed at all, thanks to amazing build materials and deep handgrip with texture, give you a secure feeling even if you have larger hands. This device is available in 4 different colors, such as Black, White, Silver, and the attractive Graphite version.

As I mentioned earlier, the controls of this device are just perfect for both beginners and enthusiast, I especially liked the amount and placement, as they will allow a beginner to progress their skills significantly. On the back you will spot a 3-inch tilting LCD panel with 921,600 dots, which boasts plenty of brightness and colors, however, it isn’t a touchscreen. It also has an electronic viewfinder, which is great thanks to its OLED nature, with 1.44 million dots, the same as in Sony’s high-end mirrorless cameras.

Sony has done a pretty tight job with the autofocus system, as it has a combined contrast-detect sensor with phase-detect features, which couples with 179 focus points, deliver pretty capable performance. It’s lock-on focus mode, works perfectly for tracking moving subjects, but you can also manually select focus points for a more precise experience. Even automatically the system works perfectly and with tons of mode, it will be your best friend.

The Sony A6000 is fitted with a pretty powerful sensor, a 24MP Exmor HD CMOS sensor, that is proven that it can deliver amazing photographs, on top of that to make things better it has the Bionz X image processor. This sensor is known for providing exceptional colors, plenty of sharpness and adequate exposure, and it doesn’t disappoint here. To top it all off this camera is equipped with the DRO+ tech that is a great dynamic range management technology. The ISO range is great, as it spans from 100 to 25,600 and it is expandable up to 51,200 and it delivers great performance in high ISO levels.

Performance and speed are also tremendous as in burst shooting mode are capable of shooting 11 frames per second. The battery life is lackluster with 360 shots approximately, but it is still better than the Canon M100. I can simply not find realistic caveats of this camera.

Sony A6000 Sample Images:

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Canon M100 vs Sony A6000 Feature Comparison

	Canon M100	Sony A6000
Camera Type	Mirrorless	Mirrorless
Megapixels	24.2	24.0
ISO Range	100-25,600	100-25,600(51,200)
Flip-Out Screen	Yes	Yes
AF Points	49 AF points	179 AF Points
Viewfinder	No	Yes
Touchscreen	Yes	No
Video Recording	Yes	Yes
Sensor Size	CMOS	CMOS

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Conclusion

If you just look at the comparison table, the results are pretty close, however, the reviews and testing shows different things.

I can comfortably say that the Canon M100 is one of the best beginner cameras for those that don’t want to bother and just want good images. It is pretty cheap has really simple controls and for most of us, that is enough. It is worth mentioning again that your photographs will come out great but then again you will be limited.

On the other side, the Sony A6000 is the perfect choice for everybody, it will not leave you in need of more as it can provide nearly everything, so close to a premium camera. It is amazingly fast and has a pretty sophisticated autofocus system. While the controls are simple they deliver a perfect balance. If you are willing to shell out a little more, the Sony A6000 is a fail-safe choice.

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